Multiple excavator.



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MULTIPLE EXOAVATOB. APPLICATION IILBD AUG. 8,1908.

Patented July 6, 1909.

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G. G. JACOBS.

MULTIPLE EXUAVATOB.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.6,1906.

0. c. JACOBS.

MULTIPLE EXGAVATOR.

APPLICATION IILED AUG. 6,1906.

Patented July 6, 1909.

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APPLICATION FILED AUG.6,1906.

Patented July 6, 1909.

'1 SHEETS-SHEET 4,

G. C. JACOBS.

MULTIPLE EXGAVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1906.

Patented July 6, 1909. 7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

C. C. JACOBS. MULTIPLE EXGAVATOR.

APPLICATION Hum AUG.6.1908.

926,746. Patented July 6, 1909. 'I SHEETS-SHEET 6.

G. G. JACOBS.

MULTIPLE EXGAVATOB.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.6,1906.

Patented July 6, 1909. I BHEETB-SHEHT 7.

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UNITED STATES PATENT orFIo l-IARLES c. .W 30138, or onIcAco, ILLINbIS, AssIo'Noa T0 Tm: F. c.' AUSTIN DRAINAGE EXGAVATOR (.YOMIAN Y, oncuIvMJo, ILLINOIS, AconronATIoN or ILLINOIS.

MULTIPLE EXCAVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July a, 1909.

Application filed August 6, 1906. Serial No. 329,426.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. JAcoBs, a

citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chiing dikes or embankl-nents.

This improved device is in some respects similar to the excavator illustrated and described in my former patent, Reissue No. 12,441, dated January 30, 1906,'but in my present novel construction instead of using a single bucket or shovel supporting and guiding track jutting over both embankments I use two guiding tracks each of which is shaped to conform substantially to the crossscctional profile of the trench to be dug, and has a track-way overhanging the adjacent bank forming an extension of the guiding track. These track-ways overhangv the opposite banks, and are each equipped at theirouter ends with means for discharging the contents of one or more buckets or shovels traveling on the track and extension trackway. Preferably I use endless sprocket chains on each track and its extension and mount thereon a number of sharp-edged ,scraping shovels or scoops, suitable means being provided for actuating the chains and attached shovels. These guiding tracks are vertically adjustable on a main frame, the latter being movable longitudinally of the trench to be excavated on temporary rails laid on the ground. Ordinarily the pair of guiding tracks during the digging operation are fed downwardly simultaneously step by step so that successive layers of earth may be scraped out'of the ditch, but in case of accident to one of the tracks, its shovels, or other mechanism whereby its operation becomes inadvisable or impossible the digging of the trench need not be suspended since it can be carried on by the shovels traveling on the other track, the construction being such that the feeding or adjusting mechanism of the two guiding tracks may be uncoupled to operate separately permitting the feeding down or u of either track singly.

Tffe other features of improvement will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanymg drawings constltutlng a part of this specification,

' wherein:

Figure 1 is a view crosswise the trench, showing the multiple excavator in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a'view similar "to Fig. 1,.som'ewhat enlarged and certain parts-being broken away; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the excavator;

Fig. is an end clevationnof'theexcavator showing the vertically adjustable tracks in central section; Fig. 5 is a detail view of the shaft and s rocket wheel and-chain connectlons with t 1e screw shafts for elevating and lowering the guiding tracks; Fig. 6fis an en- '1 larged detail view showing arts of the main frame and the vertically adjustable tracks in section; Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 77 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a plan view of a portion of one of the )airs of sprocket chains,

and an attached buc et or shovel; Fig. 9 is a side elevation of one of the shovels and sprocket chain; Fig. 10 is a section through oneof the shovels and its pair of sprocket chains, illustrating-the cooperation of the rollers associated with the chains with one of the tracks; and Fig. 1 1 illustrates an end View of a modified form of excavator in which the vertically adjustable tracks may be operated singly instead of simultaneously if desired, these tracks being shown in central section.

Along the sides of the trench to be dug are laid the two temporary rails 10 upon which the main frame is adapted to travel lengthwise the trench, the frame being advanced along the rails as the completion of successive sections of the ditch is accomplished. The main frame referred to comprises the longitudinal sills 11 above and cross-connecting which are the transverse beams 12 from which arise upright posts 13 whose tops are held in place by horizontal bars 14 and inclined braces 15 anchored at their lower ends to gusset plates located at the ends of beams 12. In order that the frame may travel on sills 11 withwheels or rollers 16, the pairs of Wheels on the opposite sides of the machine being mounted on axles -17. Within this main frame which extends over the ground to be excavated is a vertically adjustable track frame having a pair of shovel su porting and guiding tracks 18 and 19 eacii provided with a boom or bank over-hanging track-way. The two tracks 18 and 19 are the two tracks.

built up of three bent plates 20, 21 and'22 each shaped to conform substantially to the cross-sectional rofile of the ditch or trench to be excavate late 21 being common to This pair of tracks also has three substantially horizontal plates 23, 24 and 25 connecting the u per ends of the U shaped 'plates 20, 21 an 22, plate 24 being common to the two tracks as is plate 21. The double track frame has also four upright posts 26 riveted at their lower ends to the outer sides of bent plates 20 and 22 and fas' tened some distance from their u per ends to the outer surfaces of horizontal p fates 23 and 25.- Each post 26 comprises a plate 27 (Fig. 7) having 'secured to its exterior face two parallel angle bars 28 which form guides and co-act with one of the I-beams 29 of one of the posts 13, which are built up of two I- beams bolted together, as shown-in Fig. 7. By means of angle bars 30 and 31, gusset plates 32 and 33, horizontal bars 34 and 35, and diagonals 36 and 37, the lower and upper parts of the double track frame are crossconnected and bound together, while the upper ends of posts 26 are joined by pairs of angle bars 38. A pair of bent plates 39 are provided which form extensions of plates 21, 22, 24 and 25 constituting a boom or bank overhanging track-way. Jutting over the opposite bank is a pair of like plates 40 constituting a prolongation of plates 20, 21, 23 and 24, both booms being sustained by the tension bars 41 whose inner ends are riveted to gussets at the tops of posts .26.,

For a digging or excavating mechanism for each track and its boom extension I use a pair of sprocket chains 42 to the links of which are fastened a plurality of sharp-edged buckets or shovels 43 the cutting edges of the open mouths of which are furnished with the reference character 44. The links of the chains are desirably rovided' in pairs, as

shown in Fig. 8, and t ieir pivot pins 45 are equipped with small rollers or track wheels 46. The front portions of the sides of the buckets are riveted to the links, as shown in Fig. 9, leaving the rear parts of the buckets, which have curved bottoms, lying beneath the adjacent links. Sprocket chains 42 travel around five pairs of sprocket wheels 47, 48, 49, and 51 between the sprocket wheels passing between angle bars 52 and 53 which in connection with the sprocket wheels form the guiding means on the track and boom track-way, the angle bar tracks 52 and 53 being broken away or omitted where the sprocket wheels are placed. It will be understood that each chain passes around the wheel 47 at the top of the boom/beneath a wheel 48 at the lower end'of the boom, over a wheel 49 and beneath wheels 50 and 51 on the lower portion of the track. At the top end of the booms are provided U-shaped cleaning or dumping bars 52 which scrape the matethe proper gear 63 or 64 into mesh with gear ing with threaded nuts 57 bolted or otherwise secured to the outer surfaces of, the upright plates-27. It will be obvious that by turning these screws simultaneously the inner frame and tracks can be adjusted vertically to any extent desired. To rotate these screws as 3 well as operate the shovel chains 1 provide on a platform of the main frame a steam boiler 57 which supplies steam to a vertical engine 58, the latters shaft 59 being connected by means of gears to the transverse jack shaft 8:

60 [Fig 3] provided with a clutch mechanism 61 and havin at its outer end a bevel gear 62 [Fig '5] w 'ch may mesh with either one of a'pair of gears 63 and 64 suitably mounted on an upright shaft 65. By means of suitable manually actuated mechanism either one of the gears 63 or 64 maybe thrown into mesh with the gear 62 so as to rotate the shaft 65 in either direction. On its upper end shaft 65 has two sprocket wheels 66 and 67, the former being connected by means of. sprocket chain 68 with a similar sprocket wheel 69 on the upper end of screw 53 whereby the rotation of this screw is effected and its motion is transmitted to screw 54through a sprocket chain 70 encircling a wheel 71 on the top of screw shaft 53 and a sprocket wheel 72 on the top of screw shaft 54. The sprocket wheel 67 is connected by means of a sprocket chain 7 3 with a wheel 74 on a stub shaft 75. Another sprocket wheel 76 on this shaft is connected by a chain 77 with a sprocket wheel 78 at the top of screw shaft 56, this latter screw shaft being connected to the screw shaft 55 by a sprocket wheel and chain connection 79, as will be readily understood. It will thus be apparent that by manipulating the clutch 61 so as to cause the shaft 60 to turn and by throwing 62 all of the screw shafts will be turned simultaneously in the same direction so as to feed upwardly or downwardly.

In order to operate the pairs of sprocket wheels 47 andchains 42, each pair being mounted on a shaft 47*, I provide on the main frame an upright shaft 80 having abevel gear connection 81 with the engine shaft 59. At the to of shaft 80 I rovide a bevel gear 82 Whic meshes wit similar 1 bevel gears 83 and 84 on its opposite sides, gear 83 having fastened thereto a s rocket wheel 85, While gear 84 has afiixet thereto and rotatable therewith a similar sprocket wheel 86. Sprocket wheel 85 turns a jack 1 shaft 87 on the top of the main frame by means of a sprocket wheel and chain con nection-88,'fand the rotation of this shaft is transmittedkto shaft 47 by means of the sprocket chain 89 passing over suitable wheels on the. shafts 47 and 87. The rotation'of sprocket wheel 86 is transmitted to the other shaft 47* of the over-hanging trackway 10 by means of the sprocket chains, wheels and shafts 90, 91 and, 92. It will thus be apparent that the sprocket chains to which the numerous shovels are attached are caused to travel alon the guiding track by means of en ine 58. n order that this same engine may e used to cause the Whole" frame of the excavator to travel along the tempo.- rary ground rails 10 I provide on the engine platform a short shaft 93 connected to the engine shaft 59 by 'a clutch 94, the shaft 93 being connected to one of the shafts 17 by the s rocket chain connection 95, the rotation of t s shaft being transferred to the other shafts 17 by the sprocket chain connections 96.

In some cases it may be-advisable to 0 erate the guiding tracks separately instea of together so that if the excavating mechanism on one of them becomes injured or damaged its operation may be stopped and the whole digging operation continued with the shovels traveling on the other track. To accomplish this result the-u right shaft 97 ,shown in Fi 11, is provide on its upper end with sprocket wheels 98 which have separate chain connections 99 with the two vertically ad- .justable frames 190 and 101, the construction being such that if one of the frames or tracks becomes injured or its shovels or other mechanism becomes damaged so as to render their operation impossible the track may be elevated so as to be out of the way, and its chain connection with the shaft 97 broken or uncoupled so that the work of digging the trench may be continued with the other track and its excavating mechanism.

With either form of excavator the engine by actuating the chains 42 traveling on the tracks and trackways causes their sharpedged buckets or shovelsto shave off layers of earth and dump their loads on the two banks of the trench, the shovel supporting and guiding tracks being fed downwardly step by step either at the same time or separately, until the digging has been carried on to the proper depth. Then the guiding tracksare elevated and moved with the main frame along the temporary rails over an unexcavated portion of ground, when the digging of a new section of the ditch can be accomplished.

My invention is not limited to the exact details shown and described but includes many minor mechanical changes which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In an excavator, the combination of a main frame, a plurality of sup orting tracks or guide ways mounted 6n said main frame, each track being shaped to bonform substantially to the cross-sectional profile of the trench to be dug, and one or more shovels or scoo s tracl s, substantially as described.

2. In an excavator, the combination .of a main frame, a pair of supporting tracks or guide ways mounted on said main frame, each track being shaped to conform substantially to the cross-sectional profile'of the trench to be dug, each of said tracks having a boom or over-hanging track-way, said track-ways extending over the opposite banks of the'trench, and one or more shovels ada ted to travel on each of said supporting trac and track-ways, substantially as de scribed. f g

3. In an excavator, the combination of a mainframe, a pair of supporting tracks or guide-ways mounted on said main frame, each track being shaped to conform substantially to the cross-sectional profile of the trench to be dug, a boom or bank overhanging track-way forming an extension of each of said supporting tracks, said track-ways overhanging the opposite banks of the tracks, endless chains mounted to travel on said tracks and track-Way's, and one or more sharp edged shovels operated by each of said chains, substantially as described.

4. In an excavator, the combination of a main frame movable longitudinally of the trench to be dug, a pair of vertically adjustable supporting track or guide-Ways mounted on said main frame, each track being shaped to conform substantially to the cross-sectional profile of the trench to be dug, each of said tracks having a boom or bank over-hanging 'track-Way, said track-Ways extending over the opposite banks of the trench, and one or more shovels adapted to travel on each of said supporting tracks and track-ways, substantia y as described.

5. In an excavator, the combination of a main frame, a pair of vertically adjustable tracks or guide-ways mounted on said main frame, each track being shaped to conform substantially to the cross-sectional profile of the trench to be dug, means to simultaneously adjust the position of said pair of supporting tracks or guide-ways, and one or more shovels adapted to travel on each of said supporting tracks, substantially as described.

6. In an excavator, the combination of a main frame, a pair of vertically adjustable supporting tracks or guide-ways mounted on said frame, each track being shaped to conform substantially to the cross-sectional profile of the trench to be dug, each of said tracks having a boom or bank over-hanging track-way, said track-ways extending over .the opposite banks of the trench, means to simultaneously adjust the position of said adapted to travel on each of said tracks, and one or more shovels adapted to travel on each of said supporting tracks and track-ways, substantially as described.

7. In an excavator, the combmatlon of a -main frame, a plurality of vertically adjustable supporting tracks or guide-Ways mounted on said main frame, each track being shaped to conform substantially to the crosssectional profile of the trench to be dug, one or more shovels or scoops adapted to travel on each of said tracks, and means to simultaneously adjust the position of said supporting tracks, said means being capable of manipulation so as to permit each track to be adjusted singly if desired, substantially as described.

S. In an excavator, the combination of a main frame, a pair of supporting tracks or guide-ways each shaped to conform substantially to the cross-sectional rofile of the trench to be dug, and mounte on said main frame, means to adjust said tracks or guideways vertically on said main frame, one or more sharp-edged shovels or scoops mounted to travel on each of said tracks or guide-Ways, and means to cause each of said shovels to travel substantially the full width of the trench on its track to scrape dirt from said trench, substantially as described. 7 9. ln an excavator, the combination of a main frame movable longitudinally of the trench to be dug, a pair of supporting tracks way, and means to move said shovels on said tracks so that they travel substantially the one or more chains sup full Width of the trench to scrape the dirt therefrom.

10. In an excavatonthe combination of a main frame, a plurality of shovel supporting and guiding tracks shaped to conform substantially to the cross-sectional profile of the trench to be dug and vertically adjustable on said main frame, a bank overhanging or boom track-way forming an extension of said tracks, chains adapted to travel on said tracks and trackways, shovels actuated by said chains, means to cause said chains and shovels to travel on said tracks and trackways, means on. each boom to cause its shovels to discharge their load, and means to simultaneously adjust said tracks, substantially as described.

11. In an excavator, the combination of a main frame, a track shaped to conform substantially to the cross-sectional profile of the proposed trench, said track being supported y and vertically adjustable on said ame, orted by and adapted to travel on said trac shovels all facing the same way supported and guided by said chain or chains and. adapted to remove dirt from said trench, and means to operate said chain or chains and shovels, substantially as described.

12. In an excavator, the combination of a main frame, a track shaped to conform substantially to the cross-sectional profile of the proposed trench, said track being supported y and vertically adjustable on sa1d main frame, one or more chains supported by and adapted to travel on said track, shovels all facing the same way supported and guided across the full width of the trench and remove dirt therefrom, and means to o erate said chain or chains and shovels, su stantially as described;

CHARLES C. JACOBS. Wltnessesz WALTER M. FULLER, LOUIS T. Mann.

by said chain or chains adapted to travel 

